The Family Peace Trauma Treatment Center (FPTTC)

The Family PEACE (Preventing Early Adverse Childhood Experiences) Trauma Treatment Center (FPTTC) at New York Presbyterian Hospital provides mental health services to children ages birth to five years of age (0-5), and their primary caregivers, who have been exposed to various forms of trauma including violence and abuse.

The FPTTC is dedicated to improving the safety and well-being of children and caregivers by addressing the psychological impact of trauma exposure, re-establishing safety for the family, improving the quality of parent-child attachment, providing age-appropriate developmental guidance, and improving both parent and child capacity for positive self-regulation and conflict resolution – all in an effort to interrupt the intergenerational transmission of violence and trauma.

About Early Childhood Trauma

In the past, people believed that very young children were too young to remember what they witnessed or experienced, and therefore were not affected. We now know that when very young children are exposed to traumatic events the effects can be harmful and long-lasting. Children’s social and emotional development, learning, and physical development are all impacted. For caregivers both their own and their child’s exposure to trauma may present unique challenges to parenting. We also now know that for young children and parents who have suffered traumatic experiences, early intervention can make the difference in helping children achieve strong academic functioning and social competence, and in creating a positive parent-child attachment.

Types of Trauma:

Witnessing Domestic Violence

Witnessing Community Violence

Physical abuse

Sexual abuse

Neglect

Medical Instrumentation

Natural Disasters

Immigration

Separation or loss

What to look for:

Increased crying

Withdrawal / Less responsive

Increased Irritability

Increased Impulsivity

Hyperactivity

Frequent and prolonged tantrums

Eating Disturbances

Sleep Disturbances

Toileting Disturbances

Startles easily

New Fears

Increased separation anxiety / clinginess

Developmental Delays

Increased aggression

Age inappropriate sexualized behaviors

FPTTC Services

Clinical psychologists who are specialists in early childhood mental health and development, trauma, and parent-child therapy provide a weekly psychotherapy treatment intervention that specifically addresses the psychological impact of trauma exposure on very young children and their caregivers. Interventions include:

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP): a one-year, evidence-based, attachment and trauma-informed treatment for young children (infants, toddlers, and preschoolers) and their parents whose functioning and relationship have been negatively affected by trauma exposure.

Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC): an evidence-based, attachment and trauma-informed treatment provided for children ages 6-10 who are the siblings of a referred 0-5 year old child. ARC treatment is offered to siblings who have been significantly impacted by the abuse of their younger sibling.

Family Support Program (FSP): a weekly group program for client families that are either engaged in CPP treatment or on the waiting list for CPP treatment. FSP programming includes groups for Caregivers, Children, and Caregivers and Children together.

Art Therapy: offered as an additional treatment for individual caregiver adults, individual school age siblings, family groups, and child groups.

Outreach/Education/Training

Outreach: The FPTTC has an extensive history of collaboration with community partners. The FPTTC participates in the Washington Heights/Inwood Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is a member of the Upper Manhattan Domestic Violence Services Collaborative, and serves as an offsite partner for the NYC Manhattan Family Justice Center operated by the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. These networks include a comprehensive range of CBOs and government agencies all working together for the purpose of educating and promoting awareness to end violence in the home, provide policy advocacy at all levels to end domestic violence, enhance resources and provide “one-stop” access to services for families impacted by domestic violence.

Education/Training: The FPTTC is committed to training and education within NYP and in the community at large. The program has provided training to staff, medical providers, and residents on the impact of trauma on young children, domestic violence and how to effectively screen for DV within the primary care setting. Through our community partnerships and participation in coalitions focused on domestic violence, the FPTTC has offered trainings throughout New York City to employees of Community Based Organizations (CBO) and government agencies on the impact of trauma on children, caregivers and the parent-child relationship.

Who We Serve

Referrals to the FPTTC are received from within NYP’s ACN as well as various agencies throughout New York City, such as domestic violence shelters and victim service providers, the NYC District Attorney’s Office, the NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS), early childhood centers, and a wide network of collaborative agencies. The FPTTC is the only provider of Spanish speaking services in Washington Heights for very young children and their caregivers where there has been exposure to traumatic violence and abuse.

Special Grants

2014-2017
New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Victim and Witness Assistance Grant Program
Allows the FPTTC to provide trauma treatment services to the youngest victims (0-5) of child abuse (physical, sexual, neglect) and their caregivers.

2016-2021
Federal SAMHSA/National Child Traumatic Stress (NCTSN) Category III Direct Service grant
Allows the FPTTC to increase early identification and access to evidence-based trauma treatment services for very young children (0-5) and their caregivers.

Referral Info

If you are interested in making a referral, please complete and fax our referral form to (646) 317-5518.